NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF HASWELL, 1882 IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN Heike Stanjek, J Wàgele

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Heike Stanjek, J Wàgele. NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF PHORONIS AUSTRALIS HASWELL, 1882 IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN. Vie et Milieu / Life & Environment, Observatoire Océanologique - Laboratoire Arago, 1981, 31, pp.339 - 340. ￿hal-03010442￿

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NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF PHORONIS AUSTRALIS HASWELL, 1882 IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

Heike STANJEK and J. Wolfgang WÀGELE Universitàt Oldenburg Postfach 2503, D-2900 Oldenburg F.R.G.

PHORONIDAE RÉSUMÉ. - Phoronis australis Haswell, 1882, Phoronidien vivant en association avec PHORONIS AUSTRALIS des Cérianthes, est signalée pour la première fois en Méditerranée orientale (Chalkidike, MEMBRANACEUS Grèce), à une profondeur de 30-55 m. Cette espèce, presque cosmopolite, habite des mers MÉDITERRANÉE ORIENTALE chaudes, mais, en Méditerranée, n'avait été signalée que d'Espagne (Alméria).

PHORONIDAE ABSTRACT. - Phoronis australis Haswell, 1882, a dwelling in the tube-walls PHORONIS AUSTRALIS of Ceriantharia, was discovered in the Eastern Mediterranean in depths down to 55 m. The presumably cosmopolitan prefers warmer seas, but in the mediterranean until now EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN was only known from Spain (Almeria).

INTRODUCTION The spécimens of P. australis from the Eastern Medi- terranean have lophophore spirals with 3 to 3.5 coils on each side, the uniforme colour being always pink-trans- Phoronis australis Haswell, 1882 was seen on Ce- parent (known spectrum of colours : blackish, purple, rianthus membranaceus (Spallanzani) in 1976 during brownish, pink-transparent) (Emig, 1977). underwater observations ot the coasts of the greek pe- ninsula Chalkidike. During a second visit of the same locality in the year 1980, the were encounter- DISCUSSION ed again ; however it was impossible to establish if there still were the same individuals of Ceriantharia as in 1976. Phoronis australis lives as a suspension feeder and until now has only been found associated with species of Cerianthus. Single localities of this phoronid are known from the indopacific (Japan, China, East Austra- DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCALITY lia, India, Red Sea, Madagascar, Mozambique) and the Atlantic Sea (Sénégal, Georgia), as well as from sou- Northern Aegean Sea, Greece, Chalkidike, between thern Spain (Almeria) (Emig, 1979). The hitherto known Sithonia and Athos. P. australis was found on adult vertical distribution extends down to 30 m. In spite of spécimen of Cerianthus membranaceus (Spall.) (diameter the now necessary extension to a depth of 55 m, P. about 15 cm) of the following colour patterns : Brown australis belongs to organisms limited to the photic zone inner tentacles and white peripheral tentacles; white of the littoral (deepest record of phoronids : P. muelleri inner tentacles and basally brown peripheral tentacles in 208 m; Emig, 1979). The distribution of P. australis with light and dark rings. They lived on sandy bottom naturally is limited by that of Cerianthus, which predo- near meadows of (depth 35 m) and minantly lives in depths of 1 to 35 m and avoids turbu- the base of steep slopes in gravel and sand (depth 30 and lent water (Abel, 1959). 55 m) always in calm water. The number of phoronids The species of Cerianthus, with which P. australis is per polyp was about 5 to 20. associated, rarely have been identified (Cerianthus 340 STANJEK AND WÂGELE

Fig. I. - Close-up underwater photograph of Phoronis australis Haswell on Cerianthus membranaceus (Spall). Photo sous-marine prise de près de Phoronis australis Haswell sur Cerianthus membranaceus (Spall). maua : Emig et ai, 1972). But there is no doubt that P. REFERENCES australis is not limited to only one distinct species of Cerianthus, because the phoronid only requires the tube-wall of the anthozoan as a substratum. Emig, et ABEL, E.F., 1959. Zur Kenntnis der marinen Hôhlenfauna ai, (1972) describe the relationship as an inquilinism, unter besonderer Berùcksichtigung der Anthozoen. Publ. the cerianthid having no advantages. On the contrary it Staz. Zool. Napoli (Suppl.), 30 : 1-94. ÉMIG, C.C., C. HERBERTS & B.A. THOMASSIN, 1972. Sur l'as- can even be assumed that a dense population of phoro- sociation de Phoronis australis (Phoronida) avec Cerianthus nids (up to 100 per polyp) will damage the tube-wall. maua (Ceriantharia) dans les zones récifales de Madagas- But it must also be remembered that cerianthids are able car. Mar. Biol., 15: 304-315. to rebuild their tubes. Phoronis enjoys the advantage of ÉMIG, C.C., 1977. Notes sur la localisation, l'écologie et la the protection of the nematocysts and of the attentive- taxonomie des Phoronidiens. Téthys, 7 (4) : 357-364. ness of the polyp, which withdraws when disturbed, ÉMIG, C.C., 1979. British and other Phoronids. In . DM. warning the phoronids. KERMAK & R.S.K. BARNES (Ed.), Synopsis of the British Fauna, 13. Académie Press, London, New York, San Francisco Accepté le 25 juillet 1981